Absolutely yes indeed.

The answer asks for a 100% yes or 100% no when it is neither. Just as rock music is not 100% either way because it consists of millions of musicians and millions of songs each putting out different messages. There is a lot of highly inspiration rap music out there. Tupac is a prime example of that, check out Keep Ya Head Up by him and try and tell me you can't be inspired by that, or Mama by him. There's clearly inspiration to be found in rap music whether you want to admit it or not.

"I'm a raptivist, not a politician. I deal in hope."
-Chuck D, Public Enemy

It is important to note that rap music is an extremely essential part of African American history in the US. When black people were feeling the effects of racial inequalities, rap was their way of getting their message out. Songs like "Fight the Power" are equally important in African American history as the songs slaves sang to provide themselves with hope.

Rap music is inspirational.

Well, I'm both for and against. It depends what it's inspiring you to do. Say you were listening to a really provocative rap song, that might inspire you to go out a cause public havoc. It's all about what the rap music is and the message that the rapper is trying to get across.

Eminem is an example

I do believe rap music is inspirational and inspiring.. Most rappers have had a really hard upbringing / childhood and know real struggle and are proof that no matter how hard it can get.. You can get through it, I think someone like Eminem is probably the best proof of no matter what, you can pursue your dreams

Technically, it isn't even music.

Music is a compilation of vocal and/or instrumental notes. Music without vocals is called an instrumental and music without instruments is called a Capella. Therefore music without either is not music at all.Some may claim that because music is being played (pieces of other artists) then that qualifies it as music. Sorry but just hitting play on recordings made by other people does not make you a musician, if anything it makes you a DJ. Some also claim that because they use a drum machined that it is music. Though a drum is an instrument, a drum machine is not. This is just a programmed source that makes the instrument sound for you. Does hitting the switch on a player piano or a calliope mean your a musician? No again. Basically it requires no actual music talent yet some call it music. Really?It is actually closer to beatnik poetry that was once popular in the 50's and 60's, were someone would spout their own poetry to the rhythm of a bongo. As far as inspirational is considered, about the only thing most rap (poetry) inspires is for kids from the suburbs to become gangster wannabes. If you think about it, what kind of gangster would rap about their gang activities. If they did, odds are they would either incriminate themselves or put a bulls-eye on their back because they incriminated other gang members. This makes me think that they too are just gangster wannabes. Have to laugh at how these gangster wannabes wear the pants down. Though they may know that it come from the fact that prisoners are not allowed to wear belts or shoe laces (another fad) they probably don't know that by wearing your pants even lower in prison meant that you were "owned" by another inmate and you wore your pants down to show that your were always ready for them. Guess rap inspires more than you think.

It's true, some rap music is inspirational with a good messege, but not all of it, the majority is... Crude and stereotype promoting.

While there are a few rap songs and artist I really respect for their messeges, there are also far to many rap songs that I just can't tolerate as an equal rights femanist with friends of all shapes and sizes. All the crude humor and cussing, the dehumanization of woman, the promotion of crime, I get that these are th realities of existing but it hardly inspires me. And the effects that rap and pop cultures are beging to have on gender roles and general opinions are frustrating to me.

Most of it isn't. Some, however, is.

Most rappers nowadays rap about things like strip clubs, drugs, and getting a hangover after a party. That really gets on my nerves. Few rappers produce music with a good message or actually has a story behind it. You can see this in rappers like Macklemore, Eminem, or K'naan. -PatriotPerson